Written Answers Tuesday 12 May 2009

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when its review of the Agricultural Wages Board will be complete and the results published.

Richard Lochhead: We are considering all responses and options put forward and giving very careful consideration to the future role of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board and arrangements for determining pay and conditions of service for agricultural workers in Scotland.

  Consultation responses are available on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/01/19103314/0.

Alcohol Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of alcohol poisoning there have been in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) hospital.

Shona Robison: The number of discharges for alcohol poisoning in acute hospitals is presented by local authority area and by hospital. However, because of size constraints the table containing this information has been submitted to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 48111).

  Data for the calendar year 2008 is not currently available and the latest available information is for the financial year ending 31 March 2008.

  Information Services Division Scotland (ISD) recently carried out an in-depth review of their core alcohol-related code set and as a result the codes for alcohol poisoning have been changed. Figures may not be directly comparable with those published previously. Full details of the consultation are available at:

  http://www.alcoholinformation.isdscotland.org/alcohol_misuse/files/ICD10_codes_final_report.pdf.

Animal Welfare

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the publication date was of the Special Committee on Seals report for 2008.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government published the Special Committee on Seals Report 2008 on 23 April 2008.

  Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence has been published to show the extent to which predation by killer whales explains the reported decline in the number of common seals in Orkney and Shetland.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what stage any research into predation by killer whales on common seals has reached.

Richard Lochhead: The papers considered by the Special Committee on Seals in developing its 2008 report included a scientific paper on research on predation of seals by killer whales. The research is on-going and has not been published but a paper based on the latest findings has been approved for publication in the scientific journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems Early View .

  Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it used as the basis of its statement in a press release of 23 April 2009, regarding the decline in common seals, that "It is already clear that local shooting and disease do not explain the significant reductions reported".

Richard Lochhead: In respect of local shooting, scientific advice is that other factors are contributing to the common seal decline. There have been no reports of seal carcasses or seal shooting on the scale required in the areas most affected by the decline. In addition, shooting should equally impact on grey seals but these show no signs of a similar decline. In relation to disease, the latest research carried out to date provides no support for this.

  Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it used as the basis of its statement in a press release of 23 April 2009, regarding the decline of common seals, that "predation by killer whales is a factor round the Northern Isles whilst competition for food supplies with the larger and more numerous grey seals is likely to be a significant factor across Scotland as a whole".

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence from the Special Committee on Seals report for 2008 it used as the basis of its statement in a press release of 23 April 2009, regarding the decline of common seals, that "The main causes of these local reductions are unclear at present but predation by killer whales in the Northern Isles and competition for food supplies with grey seals could be significant factors".

Richard Lochhead: The statements made in the Scottish Executive press release of 23 April 2009 were based on the best scientific advice available, including the latest developments from on-going research currently in progress and the advice of the Sea Mammal Research Unit.

  Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to respond to the statement in the Special Committee on Seals report for 2008 that "We also know very little about the number of seals shot by fin fish farmers and this information is important for the purpose of seal population management and also to help develop mitigation that is appropriate to the conservation status of seals".

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has included proposals for the reporting of all seals killed or taken in the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

  Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to address the animal welfare concerns in the report, A Seal’s Fate: The animal welfare implications of shooting seals in Scotland, regarding the shooting of seals (a) during their breeding seasons, (b) while they are in the water, (c) from boats or other unstable platforms and (d) without killing them outright.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government will consider a wide range of issues, including animal welfare, in developing a new seal licensing system under proposals in the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

  Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that seal licences, as introduced in the Marine (Scotland) Bill, should not be issued during the breeding season of common and grey seals.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conditions imposed by a seal licence, alluded to in section 100(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill, will include a prohibition on the shooting of seals in water.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conditions imposed by a seal licence, alluded to in section 100(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill, will include a prohibition on the shooting of seals from boats or other unstable platforms.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conditions imposed by a seal license, alluded to in section 100(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Bill, will require an assessment of the shooting competence of the person issued with the licence.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends that people issued with a seal licence, as proposed in the Marine (Scotland) Bill, will be expected to ensure that whenever a seal is shot it is actually killed.

Richard Lochhead: As the accompanying documentation for the Marine (Scotland) Bill explains, the detailed arrangements for implementing the proposals in the Bill will be developed in consultation with interested parties and will be the subject of further research. Existing guidance on welfare standards developed by my officials with stakeholders through the Seals Forum and the Moray Firth Seal Management Plan will be of assistance in designing the new system and a firearms licence from the police authorities will continue to be required.

  Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, if the Conservation of Seals Act (1970) is repealed under the provisions of the Marine (Scotland) Bill, whether the National Environment Research Council will still have a statutory responsibility to provide information on the number and distribution of seals in the waters around Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: The proposals in the Marine (Scotland) Bill do not remove the current statutory responsibility of the Natural Environment Research Council to provide scientific advice on matters related to the management of seal populations.

Business Rates

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the methodology for calculating business rates is being reviewed.

John Swinney: Non-domestic rates are a property based tax calculated using the rateable value of a property, which is set by the Scottish Assessors, who are independent of the Scottish Government, and a poundage rate which is set annually by Scottish ministers. There are no current plans to change this system.

  Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is possible to calculate business rates on the basis of land rents.

John Swinney: Non-domestic rates could, in principle be determined in a range of different ways. The current system is a property-based tax which takes into account various factors, including land rental values where appropriate. The Scottish Government has no plans to reform the current system.

Class Sizes

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in reducing class sizes in primary schools in (a) east and (b) south Ayrshire.

Keith Brown: Information of the progress made on class size reduction in East and South Ayrshire was published in Pupils in Scotland 2008 on 24 February 2009, available on the government website at the following link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/266539/0079763.pdf .

Culture

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to South Ayrshire Council to secure the future of the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr as a performance venue.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government recognises the value that the Gaiety Theatre has for the local and wider community. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22889 on 11 May 2009. This issue was discussed by the First Minister and Provost Sloan as part of a wider conversation in the Burns Light Event on 25 January 2009.

  The First Minister has since written to Provost Sloan to stress the importance of exploring a range of options with a view of finding a viable and sustainable solution. The First Minister has also been in touch with Mr Ian Brown, who is leading the steering group seeking to establish a Trust for Ayr’s Gaiety Theatre, outlining possible sources of funding that may be available for the Trust from social enterprise funding streams.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with South Ayrshire Council regarding the closure of the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr.

Michael Russell: The First Minister and Provost Sloan of South Ayrshire Council discussed the Gaiety Theatre as part of a wider conversation during their meeting at the Burns Light event on 25 January 2009.

  The First Minister has since written to Provost Sloan to stress the importance of exploring a range of options and continuing engagement with individuals and interest groups committed to securing the Gaiety’s long-term future, with a view to finding a viable and sustainable solution.

Drug Misuse

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the mandatory drug testing of arrestees pilots beyond the expiry date of 12 June 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: An evaluation of the mandatory drug testing of arrestees pilots by independent researchers suggests that the numbers of people tested across the three sites as a result of this initiative has been just 3,308 during the evaluation period compared with the 15,000 arrestees per year anticipated. The pilots failed to meet expectations and we have therefore decided to provide further central funding of the pilots for an additional three month period only to assist with transitional arrangements. By not extending central funding to the pilots any further, we will ensure these resources remain in programmes focused on community sentences.

  Arrest referral schemes, which have similar objectives but entail voluntary engagement on the part of the arrestee, were found to be more cost-effective and will continue to operate in all three pilot areas, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

  A copy of the evaluation report and summary of the findings may be accessed on the Scottish Government Crime and Justice Publications page on the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/by-topic/crime-and-justice/publications.

Employment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to boost employment in the public sector in Dundee.

John Swinney: We will actively oppose the proposed £500 million cut in Scottish spending planned by the UK government - a cut that will not only undermine Scotland’s ability to recover strongly from the recession but also put at risk 9,000 jobs, including some in the public sector.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what methods will be used to publicise and promote the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: A range of methods will be used to publicise and promote the scheme depending on the specific circumstances of each selected area, for example, mail-shots, local advertising, etc.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether measures and safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the external partners selected to help deliver the Home Insulation Scheme are based close to the local delivery area in which the insulation work is being undertaken and, if so, what these are.

Alex Neil: In delivery of the Home Insulation Scheme, we will aim to ensure that best practice procurement is followed to achieve value for money, balancing specification for the work with its cost effective delivery. The provision of advice to householders will be delivered from a local base within each area.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target date by which it aims to insulate all easy-to-treat homes eligible under the Home Insulation Scheme and, if so, to what minimum standard and by what date.

Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23524 on 11 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households will be eligible to receive free insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme in the areas selected in 2009-10 and what proportion of households in those areas this represents.

Alex Neil: The proportion of households within each area that will be entitled to free insulation measures will depend on a range of factors including the eligibility criteria agreed and the characteristics of that area.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households will be eligible to receive reduced-cost insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme in the areas selected in 2009-10 and what proportion of households in those areas this represents.

Alex Neil: The number of households eligible to receive reduced cost insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme in the areas selected in 2009-10 will depend on a range of factors including the eligibility criteria agreed and the characteristics of each area.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the work under the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 is expected to cover hard-to-treat properties.

Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme will focus on the provision of the most cost-effective energy efficiency measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation in properties that are able to take such measures. However, all households in each area, including those in properties unsuitable for loft and cavity insulation, will be offered energy audits and benefit checks. Data collected from energy audits will be important in assisting the development of future programmes aimed at hard to treat properties, for example, the Community Energy Saving Programme. The proportion of residents of hard to treat properties that will be assisted under the scheme will depend on the areas selected.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households the Home Insulation Scheme will take out of fuel poverty in 2009-10 and what proportion of households in fuel poverty in each selected area this represents.

Alex Neil: The proportion of fuel poor households within each area that will benefit under the Home Insulation Scheme will depend on the characteristics of the areas selected.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated carbon emissions reduction will be from the operation of the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 and how that reduction will be calculated.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has made an initial estimate that the Home Insulation Scheme could save in the region of 24,250 tCO 2 e in 2009-10. The actual emission savings achieved will depend on a range of factors including the characteristics of the areas chosen, and the scale of contribution from partners. The emission savings achieved will be calculated within the framework for standard carbon assessment being developed by the Scottish Government.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated carbon emissions reduction will be from the operation of the Home Insulation Scheme over the duration of the scheme and how that reduction will be calculated.

Alex Neil: The carbon emission reductions arising from the operation of the Home Insulation Scheme will depend on the nature of the future roll-out of the scheme. The implementation of the first phase of the Home Insulation Scheme will be evaluated with a view to informing its development in subsequent years. The emission savings achieved will be calculated within the framework for standard carbon assessment being developed by the Scottish Government.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new jobs are expected to be generated as a result of the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 and how that information is calculated.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new jobs are expected to be generated as a result of the Home Insulation Scheme over the duration of the scheme and how that information is calculated.

Alex Neil: We estimate that the Home Insulation Scheme will create or sustain up to 900 jobs in this sector. These estimates have been calculated using the Scottish Government’s Input-Output model and include direct, indirect and induced jobs.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expected total householder contribution will be to measures part-funded by the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The total householder contribution to measures part-funded by the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 will depend on factors such as the eligibility criteria agreed and the areas selected.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what contributions to the Home Insulation Scheme are expected from external bodies, including local authorities, power companies, through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target or other means, and housing associations, and how the value of these contributions is expected to be broken down.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is committing £15 million of investment to the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 and is seeking £15 million of complementary investment from other sources. These sources could, for example, include local councils and housing associations. Private householders and energy companies are also expected to contribute through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target. On 1 May 2009, we wrote to councils seeking proposals for areas to be selected under the scheme and anticipated contributions from them, and their local partners, for the scheme. It is therefore too early to say how the contributions from the various partners will breakdown.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to link the operation, promotion and delivery of the Home Insulation Scheme with existing and complementary schemes from other providers to avoid duplication of effort and to maximise partnership and joint working.

Alex Neil: The Energy Saving Trust, which is the managing agent for the Home Insulation Scheme, the Energy Assistance Package and the Energy Saving Scotland advice network will play a key role in working with local partners to maximise partnership and joint working.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publicise and promote the funding and services available from existing and complementary insulation funds and schemes from other providers when publicising and promoting the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: In the delivery of the Home Insulation Scheme, reference may be made to complementary provision, where appropriate.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms will be for the significant loan measure on home insulation announced during the budget process 2009-10, specifically eligibility of both applicants and measures, repayment mechanisms and any process for repaid funds to be made available to future applicants to the scheme.

Alex Neil: Proposals for a significant loan mechanism for domestic energy efficiency measures are under development and will be announced in due course.

  Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will put in place measures and safeguards to ensure that the materials used to insulate homes through the Home Insulation Scheme will be ethically sourced, low carbon in their production and supply, and reclaimed, reused or recycled wherever possible and, if so, what these are.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will put in place measures and safeguards to ensure that the materials used to insulate homes through the Home Insulation Scheme will be sourced from Scottish or Scotland-based manufacturers or suppliers and, if so, what these are.

Alex Neil: In delivering the Home Insulation Scheme, we will aim to ensure that best practice procurement is followed to achieve value for money, balancing specification for the work with its cost effective delivery.

Environment

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its officials or agencies have undertaken an assessment of the potential environmental and health impacts of radioactive contamination from the Faslane nuclear submarine base.

Richard Lochhead: Yes. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) routinely monitors the levels of radioactive contamination around Faslane. The purpose of this monitoring is to examine the dispersion of radioactive discharges from the site and to confirm the safety of the food chain. The results of its assessment are published annually in the Radioactivity in Food and the Environment  (RIFE) report. The report is published jointly by SEPA, the Food Standards Agency, Environment Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

  A copy of the most recently published RIFE report covering 2007 (Bib. number 47127) and previous reports for 2003 to 2006 (Bib. numbers 34135, 37874, 40784 and 44134) are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and are public ally available on SEPA’s website at:

  http://www.sepa.org.uk/radioactive_substances/rs_publications/rife_reports.aspx.

Finance

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what purpose it intends for the consequentials from the £20 million Hardship Fund for third sector organisations announced in the UK Budget.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the consequential funding is from the £20 million Hardship Fund for third sector organisations announced in the UK Budget.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is to be a hardship fund in Scotland similar to that announced in the UK Budget and how soon charities will be able to access such a fund.

John Swinney: Consequentials accrue to the Scottish Block as a whole. Ministers decide how the additional spending should be allocated in Scotland based on Scottish priorities.

  We will reach decisions on the allocation of additional funding as soon as possible. We are fully committed to the third sector and have already demonstrated this by pledging over £90 million between 2008-09 and 2010-11, an increase of approximately 35% on the previous spending period.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures normally apply to vessels and owners that do not comply with fisheries management rules.

Richard Lochhead: There is a range of options open to enforcement officers when dealing with apparent breaches of fisheries rules and regulations. These range from the provision of advice, or taking some form of administrative action, through to the submission of a report to the Procurator Fiscal for possible prosecution.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that there are no further outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.

Richard Lochhead: Scotland has not had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease since 2001. The emphasis remains on prevention of disease entering Scotland and Scottish Government has in place robust measures to help minimise the risk of introduction of the disease, including a ban on imports from countries with disease. The Scottish Government is well prepared to control, contain and eradicate any incursion.

Housing

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many secure tenancies there are in each local authority area.

Alex Neil: The information requested is not held centrally.

  David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum monetary discount under the modernised right to buy scheme would be if it was indexed with reference to the appropriate house price index or indices.

Alex Neil: Under the modernised right to buy the maximum discount is 35% of the market value of the property or £15,000, whichever is less. Had the £15,000 cap been indexed to the Retail Price Index (all items) when the modernised right to buy came into force on 30 September 2002, the maximum monetary discount would be £18,445.95 as at September 2008.

  David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of right to buy sales in each year since 1979-80, broken down by (a) local authority landlords and (b) other social landlords and also showing the number of sales under the (i) modernised and (ii) preserved right to buy schemes.

Alex Neil: The number of properties sold each year under right to buy legislation (RTB) by local authorities since 1979-80 are shown in table 1. These figures include sales by the former Scottish Homes and New Towns.

  The number of properties sold under right to buy legislation (RTB) by registered social landlords each year since 1987-88 are shown in table 2. Information for the years 1979-80 to 1986-87 is not held centrally.

  Table 1: Sales of Public Authority Housing to Sitting Tenants, 1979-80 to 2007-08

  

Financial Year
Right to Buy
(Old Terms)
Right to Buy
(Modernised)
Rent to
Mortgage
Voluntary
Sales
All Sales to
Sitting Tenants


1979-80
2,629
0
0
16
2,645


1980-81
4,580
0
0
1,663
6,243


1981-82
9,810
0
0
1,894
11,704


1982-83
13,368
0
0
1,821
15,189


1983-84
15,171
0
0
2,802
17,973


1984-85
13,611
0
0
3,082
16,693


1985-86
11,915
0
0
2,152
14,067


1986-87
12,038
0
0
2,565
14,603


1987-88
18,609
0
0
4,182
22,791


1988-89
27,394
0
0
7,502
34,896


1989-90
32,756
0
17
6,064
38,837


1990-91
25,651
0
118
2,796
28,565


1991-92
20,877
0
166
2,091
23,134


1992-93
20,279
0
418
1,773
22,470


1993-94
18,615
0
131
1,769
20,515


1994-95
20,001
0
87
409
20,497


1995-96
14,974
0
84
209
15,267


1996-97
14,144
0
63
3
14,210


1997-98
15,467
0
32
3
15,502


1998-99
13,186
0
20
5
13,211


1999-2000
13,803
0
34
4
13,841


2000-01
13,523
0
16
2
13,541


2001-02
13,530
0
18
2
13,550


2002-03
17,376
0
8
25
17,409


2003-04
13,523
62
2
5
13,592


2004-05
10,986
211
0
0
11,197


2005-06
9,071
331
0
0
9,402


2006-07
7,007
352
0
0
7,359


2007-08
5,671
299
0
0
5,970



  Source: Sales 3 returns to the Scottish Government, Communities Analytical Services (Housing Statistics).

  Notes:

  Figures include sales of all public authority housing stock. This includes local authorities, the former Scottish Homes, and former New Towns.

  Figures includes estimates for Inverclyde for 2007, due to missing returns.

  Table 2: Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sales to sitting tenants, 1987-88 to 2007-08

  

Financial Year1
Right to Buy
(old terms)2
Right to Buy
(modernised)
Voluntary
Sales
All Sales to
Sitting Tenants


1979-80
..
0
..
..


1980-81
..
0
..
..


1981-82
..
0
..
..


1982-83
..
0
..
..


1983-84
..
0
..
..


1984-85
..
0
..
..


1985-86
..
0
..
..


1986-87
..
0
..
..


1987-88
409
0
7
416


1988-89
181
0
26
207


1989-90
340
0
15
355


1990-91
340
0
5
345


1991-92
365
0
16
381


1992-93
330
0
33
363


1993-94
304
0
3
307


1994-95
349
0
33
382


1995-96
328
0
71
399


1996-97
519
0
63
582


1997-98
932
0
28
960


1998-99
874
0
0
874


1999-2000
982
0
0
982


2000-01
1,018
0
0
1,018


2001-02
970
0
26
996


2002-03
1,499
3
58
1,560


2003-04
3,170
18
10
3,198


2004-05
2,344
36
5
2,385


2005-06
1,903
34
5
1,942


2006-07
1,613
51
7
1,671


2007-08
1,471
46
1
1,518



  Source: Scottish Housing Regulator, RSL Annual performance and statistical returns 1998-2008

  Notes:

  1. Figures prior to 1998-99 have been compiled from historical tables. This information was originally provided by Communities Scotland, but is unavailable for the years 1979-80 to 1986-87.

  2. The 1998 - 2001 old terms right to buy (RTB) figures also includes rent to mortgage sales.

Influenza

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths from influenza occurred in each month from January 2008 to January 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of deaths, including those for which the underlying cause was influenza, is published quarterly by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS), in the Births, Marriages and Deaths statistical release. The preliminary figures for 2008 were published on 12 March 2008 http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/preliminary-return/index.html .

  The figure for January 2009 will not be available until the statistics for the first quarter of 2009 have been published on 11 June 2009: the latter will be available on the GROS website via the following address http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/quarter/index.html.

  The following table provides statistics on deaths from influenza in 2008.

  Table 1. Deaths Registered in Scotland in 2008, for which the Underlying Cause was Influenza

  

Month of Death
Number of Deaths from Influenza


January
1


February
1


March
1


April
1


May
0


June
0


July
0


August
0


September
0


October
0


November
0


December
5



  Source: General Registry Office Scotland.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many alleged offenders have entered the criminal justice system for the first time in each of the last 10 years.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is contained in the following table, which shows the number of individual people who were proceeded against in Scottish courts, together with how many of these had not been proceeded against in previous years.

  The source of this information is the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database, which is derived from data held on the Criminal History System. Prosecution in court is only one of a range of possible options for dealing with an individual who has been charged with an offence. Other actions include the use of fiscal warnings, diversion to social work, fixed penalty notices and fiscal fines. However, these alternatives to court prosecution are not currently held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database and are not included in the following data provided.

  Individuals Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts, 1998-99 to 2007-08

  

Year
Total Individuals Proceeded Against
Individuals not Proceeded Against in any Previous Years1
Percentage of Individuals not Proceeded Against in any Previous Years


1998-99
65,670
20,913
32%


1999-2000
59,710
18,788
31%


2000-01
61,033
20,995
34%


2001-02
78,922
32,657
41%


2002-03
89,119
39,692
45%


2003-04
96,899
43,612
45%


2004-05
98,598
42,698
43%


2005-06
98,372
41,486
42%


2006-07
102,796
42,465
41%


2007-08
102,989
41,511
40%



  Note: 1. Individuals not proceeded against in any of the previous years back to 1 April 1969. The Criminal History System is not designed for statistical purposes. Individuals are identified by their offender reference number; note that the ability to record and maintain unique reference numbers over time has increased over the last 10 years.

Licensing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many on-licence premises received a test purchasing visit in 2008, broken down by police force.

Kenny MacAskill: The following information has been obtained from the Scottish Police Service in respect of on-sales test purchases during 2008:

  

Police Force
No. of Visits


Central Scotland Police
0


Dumfries and Galloway 
0


Fife Constabulary
24


Grampian Police
2


Lothian and Borders Police
0


Northern Constabulary
0


Strathclyde Police
15


Tayside Police
0


Total
41



  Please note that all alcohol test purchasing is intelligence-led and these visits to on- sales were the direct result of intelligence received.

  Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many on-sales test purchase visits in 2008 resulted in alcohol being sold to an underage person for the (a) first time and (b) second time; what action was taken against the licensee in each case, and how many licences were suspended.

Kenny MacAskill: The following information has been obtained from the Scottish Police Service in respect of on-sales test purchases during 2008, alcohol being sold for:

  (a) the first time - seven occasions

  (b) the second time – nil.

  The following provides a breakdown of the number of on-sales premises tested per force, the number of failures and the outcome. Please note that there were no suspensions.

  

 
No. of Visits
No. of First Failures.
Outcome


Central Scotland Police
0
0
 


Dumfries and Galloway
0
0
 


Fife Constabulary
24
4
1. Licensing Board and PF warning letters.2. Licensing Board warning letter. PF took no proceedings.3. Licensing Board issued warning letter. PF took no proceedings.4. Licensing Board issued warning letter. PF issued two fines of £100 each to seller and licensee.


Grampian Police
2
0
 


Lothian and Borders Police
0
0
 


Northern Constabulary
0
0
 


Strathclyde Police
15
3
1. Licensing Board warning letter. No proceeding by PF.2. Licensing Board warning letter. PF fixed penalty refused, thereafter £400 fine.3. Licensing Board warning letter. No proceeding by PF.


Tayside Police
0
0
 


Totals
41
7
 



  Please note that all alcohol test purchasing is intelligence-led and these visits to on- sales were the direct result of intelligence received.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the first meeting will be of the Marine Strategy Board.

Richard Lochhead: I am aiming to set up the Marine Strategy Forum by July 2009 with the first meeting taking place a few weeks later. The forum will bring together delivery partners and stakeholders with a marine interest to work across boundaries ensuring an integrated approach across Scotland.

  Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will have a duty to promote the regeneration of the biodiversity of our inshore waters.

Richard Lochhead: Section 1 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 requires every public body, in exercising its functions, to further the conservation of biodiversity so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions. This duty applies equally to Marine Scotland.

Ministerial Engagements

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) public and (b) private sector conferences and events cabinet secretaries and ministers have spoken at since May 2007, also broken down by event and speaker.

John Swinney: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

  Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial engagements have been held in the Glasgow Anniesland parliamentary constituency since 1 January 2009, broken down by (a) ministerial portfolio, (b) date and (c) location.

John Swinney: The information requested is set out in the following table. No other Scottish ministers have attended engagements in Glasgow Anniesland parliamentary constituency since 1 January 2009.

  

Ministerial Portfolio
Date
Location


Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
4 February 2009
Anniesland College, Hatfield Drive, Glasgow, G12 OYE 


Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing
19 January 2009
St Brendans Primary School, 170 Hawick Street,Glasgow, G13 4HG


 
3 February 2009
Plean Street Dental Facility, 18 Plean Street,Glasgow, G14 0YH 


 
24 February 2009
Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road,Glasgow, G12 0XH

NHS Waiting Times

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are on a waiting list for weight loss surgery, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally.

Prescriptions

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce free prescriptions for cancer patients in advance of the abolition of all prescription charges scheduled for 2011.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22880 on 11 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Prison Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have absconded from custody since May 2007 and how many of these have not been caught.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There have been a total of 81 absconds from custody since May 2007. There are currently two absconders who are still unlawfully at large. Data as of 7 May 2009.

Privacy

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish its consultation on privacy.

John Swinney: We intend to publish the Identity Management and Privacy Draft Principles consultation very soon after summer recess.

Public Appointments

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to increase diversity in the public appointment process.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government issues notification of public appointment opportunities to a list of diversity contacts to raise awareness of and indicate where information about vacancies can be obtained.

  Sponsor Teams across the Scottish Government are encouraged to consider all potential client groups when considering their advertising strategies for appointment vacancies. Applications from individuals with a disability, from all age and ethnic groups etc, are welcomed. One of the over-riding principles of the appointments process is that applicants are appointed on the basis of merit.

  The Scottish Government is working to implement the recommendations in the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland’s Equality Strategy, Diversity Delivers. This includes a dedicated public appointments website which is scheduled to launch this month, improved diversity monitoring and involvement in an implementation group to oversee implementation of the strategy.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the reopening of the Rural Priorities scheme for applications.

Richard Lochhead: The applications process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended.

  The deadline for applications was extended, as a direct result of the success of the most recent assessment round in February. However, the facility has remained available throughout for applicants and their agents to submit Statements of Intent or Proposals using the online applications system.

Schools

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with South Ayrshire Council regarding the condition of the school estate.

Keith Brown: The Minister for Children and Early Years undertook discussions with South Ayrshire officials in April during which school estate matters were considered.

Scottish Legal Aid Board

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what political affiliations were declared by serving members of the Scottish Legal Aid Board at the time of their appointment, subsequently and currently.

Kenny MacAskill: The Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland requires successful candidates to declare any political activity in the five years prior to the appointment, in so far as that information is already in the public domain. This information is included in the public announcements of such appointments. Appointees are not asked to provide private information such as membership of political parties or voting preferences.

  Of the current board members, Mrs Ellen Morton has been an elected local councillor (Liberal Democrat) for Argyll and Bute since 1999. None of the other members declared any political activity upon appointment or re-appointment.

Scottish Legal Complaints Commission

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first review of the performance of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission to be (a) initiated and (b) concluded.

Kenny MacAskill: We do not intend to carry out a review of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in the near future. It is too early to assess the effectiveness of the commission, as it has only been operational since October 2008.

  Under the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007, the commission is required to publish a report every year, as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year, reporting on the discharge of its functions in that year, and such action as the commission proposes to take in the following year. Scottish ministers lay these reports in Parliament.

Scottish Ministerial Code

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to ministers regarding the use of offshore accounts for their personal savings.

Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Ministerial Code provides Scottish ministers with general guidance in relation to their financial interests, but does not provide specific guidance on the treatment of any particular category of financial interest, such as offshore accounts. The full text of the Scottish Ministerial Code can be found on the Scottish Government’s website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/684.

  George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister has declared an account in any of the overseas territories, crown dependencies or other tax havens.

Bruce Crawford: Paragraph 11.3 of the Scottish Ministerial Code makes clear that, on appointment to each new office, ministers must provide the Permanent Secretary with a full list in writing of all interests which might be thought to give rise to a conflict. Paragraph 11.5 further provides that "The personal information which ministers disclose to those who advise them is treated in complete confidence and may not be disclosed without their permission." Accordingly, details of ministers’ financial interests which have been provided to the Permanent Secretary are not made public.

  The text of the Scottish Ministerial Code can be found on the Scottish Government’s website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/684.

  In addition, as MSPs, ministers are required to adhere to the terms of the Code of Conduct for Members of the Scottish Parliament. This requires them to provide details of all registrable financial interests, as defined in the schedule to the Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006.

  Details of the interests declared by each minister in the Register of Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament may be found on the Scottish Parliament’s website at:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/index.htm.

Teachers

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers will carry out their probationary year in (a) east and (b) south Ayrshire in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in 2009-10.

Keith Brown: This information is not available at this time. Students who are eligible for the teacher induction scheme are allocated to local authorities during May, but it is not possible to predict with accuracy how many will commence their probationary year in the autumn because some will fail their course or decline their allocation for another reason. Moreover, a number of probationer teachers who are not on the teacher induction scheme may also work in East or South Ayrshire.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have undertaken their probationary year in (a) east and (b) south Ayrshire in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in each year since the scheme began.

Keith Brown: The figures are published each year in Teachers in Scotland , available from the government website using the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/PubTeacherCensus.

Voluntary Sector

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance exists for voluntary organisations seeking to access enhanced or standard disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable adults.

Shona Robison: The bodies with operational responsibility for disclosure checks are Disclosure Scotland and the Central Registered Body for Scotland. Guidance for organisations seeking to access disclosure checks for staff and volunteers is therefore available on their websites at:

  Disclosure Scotland http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/index.htm.

  Central Registered Body for Scotland http://www.crbs.org.uk/.

  Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it had with Disclosure Scotland concerning changes to the interpretation of eligibility criteria for voluntary organisations seeking to access enhanced or standard disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable adults.

Shona Robison: Following audit compliance work by Disclosure Scotland (DS), both DS and the Central Registered Body for Scotland (CRBS) approached Scottish Government officials to request clarification on their different interpretations of the criteria that should be applied when defining who was eligible for an enhanced disclosure for an adult at risk position. Extensive discussions were held and it was subsequently found that more individuals within the voluntary and charitable sectors were being checked at the enhanced level than existing legislative provisions allow.

  Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation with the voluntary sector took place before changes were made to the interpretation of eligibility criteria for voluntary organisations seeking to access enhanced or standard disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable adults.

Shona Robison: My officials have met with and discussed the criteria set out in current legislation with representatives of the voluntary and charitable sector. The sector has endorsed the proposal to amend secondary legislation to provide continuity and to create a bridge between the current legislation and the implementation of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act. 2007.

  Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact assessment was carried out before changes were made to the interpretation of eligibility criteria for voluntary organisations seeking to access enhanced or standard disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable adults.

Shona Robison: The changes arose following audit compliance work by Disclosure Scotland which highlighted that some voluntary and charitable sector positions fall outwith the criteria set out in current legislation. It was identified that some individuals would not have been allowed to have anything other than a basic disclosure check until the commencement of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act in 2010. So for continuity, and to ensure that local authorities are not faced with reduced services, an amendment to current legislation is being brought forward to enable organisations to request enhanced level checks.

  Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions took place with local authorities about existing requirements in funding agreements with voluntary organisations for enhanced or standard disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable adults before changes were made to the interpretation of the eligibility criteria for access to such checks.

Shona Robison: Discussions have taken place with COSLA. Costs for enhanced level checks for volunteers delivering social care services to adults at risk will continue to be borne by the Scottish Government.

  Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what communication there has been with voluntary organisations that previously accessed enhanced or standard disclosure checks for staff and volunteers working with vulnerable adults and will now be unable to do so following the changes made to the interpretation of the eligibility criteria for access to such checks.

Shona Robison: This is a matter for Disclosure Scotland and the Central Registered Body for Scotland who have operational responsibility for disclosure checks.